The Story of Kelray Firepits: Where It All Began
Every great journey begins with a spark—sometimes quite literally. For us at Kelray Firepits, our journey began with a simple goal: to bring people together around the warmth and creating a welcoming ambiance to for friends and family to enjoy and experience. This adventure into firepits kickstarted when Geoff's sister, Emily, was setting up a Glamp on their farm in Te Kuiti, New Zealand. Emily wanted a firepit that would stand-out and be a feature point for their stunning hilltop accommodation - Wild Canvas. The result was an amazing 50 fin firepit, weighing over 360kg / 790 lbs, forming a centrepiece surrounded by the 700 acre farm.
Desire for Bold yet Simple Designs
We learnt a lot from the first design that now sits high up in Te Kuiti farm land, and that gave us a spring board for designing a more consumer friendly product. While keeping a strong and striking design, we needed to reduce weight without compromising strength. Fortunately this worked well with reducing the overall size that we figured most consumers will feel comfortable installing.
Try, then Try Again
Creating any new product is no easy process. Our first model, Cascade Medium, required multiple iterations before we were comfortable sharing it to both our local community, and then the world.
Our original design and intention was for a Wood Burning firepit, and all Kelray Firepits start off with this as a core design feature. They have to pass our test of will it function well as a firepit, and will it look stunning in the process.
Materials have been another learning curve. It is essential to use strong, tough materials that will stand the test of time. As with all exposed metals, rusting and patina effects are an important consideration for how our products will grow and evolve through the seasons. We settled on a Hot Rolled Steel with a pickled and oiled finish, and can also deliver in either Stainless Steel or Corten (Weathering Steel) upon request.
Here is our very first iteration of our Kelray Firepit, Cascade Medium:
A Community of Fire Enthusiasts
What started as a passion has grown into a community. Today, Kelray Firepits can be found in backyards, patios, and outdoor spaces in Canada, the United States and New Zealand. We are grateful for every customer who has chosen to make our firepits a part of their lives, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary ones.
Looking to the Future
As we continue to grow, our mission remains the same: to create firepits that are as beautiful as they are functional, bringing people together in the glow of a fire that’s truly one-of-a-kind. We’re excited for what’s next and look forward to continuing this journey with you.
Thank you for being a part of the Kelray Firepits story.